So it's Christmas next week...YAY!!!
On the other hand I've so much to do that I'll most likely be here until Wednesday at least next week. Sure I'm used to that anyway. I hadn't realised it was so long since I last posted. Thigs just move so fast....WEEK 15. The Christmas party for kids of student parents is on TONIGHT as I write and Tara has done a great job pulling that together. Aoife also gace some assistance with the buns lastnight. It's carnage up there with the kids pulling out of Santa Rockett and running amock about the place. I have to give the lads great credit for the grotto in the Common Room.
So this week has been a little bit less stressful than last. Still working on getting issues with the Boathouse resolved. Looking more hopeful at this stage. The Arena Board met this week, nothing much to report there, everything's going alright.
PCC Board met last week and again, nothing much to report there. There is an increase of €2 a week in rent for Plassey and Kilmurry from next September following a re-evaluation of costs. UL remains the cheapest for like-for-like accommodation amongst the 7 universities and the 2 villages have had a lot of work over the last
ULSU Services has also met. I was joined at this meeting by VP Educaiton Aoife Kenny as the second sabbatical nominee following Paddy Rockett's resignation. The company is undergoing continuous re-evaluation at all levels. We are working to minimise costs of running the company as income has fallen by half a million over the last 4 years, combined with an extra unit opening in Cappavilla and Uni-Cycle. Closures cannot be ruled out, but that alone will not solve the issues at the company.
The Students' Union has also undergone a slimming down in financial terms. An Focal has been cut by 2 issues, colour printing is likely to be the next victim while Kelly works to boost advertising income. This is an important outlet for student creativity and I would hope students recognise this. Mental Health Week and I-Grade Awareness have been run to Tara and Aoife's best efforts showing that campaigns do not need money to be successful.
I will decide over Christmas if I'm going to seek another term, but at the moment if someone asks the answer is no. My reasoning on this is that to remain would damage the morale and ability of the organisation to move past thes tough times the organisation is facing. I would encourage others to think about running for a sabbatical position. If you are interested or have any questions you can call in to our Democracy Development Officer Róisín Monaghan. I'll be proposing to the Electoral and Referenda Board that campaign material be limited to just leaflets and posters. This should allow more people to consider running without the worry of the financial cost. Elections are likely to be week 8 or 9.
I want to put on record that what I have set out to do is place ULSU on a stable footing into the future. Lots of changes will be necessary, but anything I do as your President is in students' interests. There are those questioning what I'm doing, but everyone needs to be aware that my primary responsibility as President is to the students and I take that seriously. People are fully entitled to disagree with what I do, the only thing I will not take kindly to is any allegation that I'm not acting in the best interests of the student body.
The ULSU Survey is now live here. The finalised version of last year's survey has just arrived on my desk and the content of these will certainly determine how we move forward on behalf of students.
I'm going to do another blog, possibly a vlog on structures and constitution which according to responses to the survey so far 85% of you don't know that a new structure is proposed. This was a big shock to me and I suppose a bit of a wake up call to our bubble.
Finally, I was in the US during Week 11 at the Fall Conference for Region 1 of the ACUI. I'm trying, as futile as it seems, to get a report together with the guys from DCU, UCC and NUIM on the student centres we saw as part of the trip and the content of the conference itself. It was a huge eye opener and preliminary discussions with the University are now progressing in terms of getting architects drawings for a new, bigger, more suitable student centre in UL, with recreational, study, groupwork and union facilities as well as centralising as many student services in one area as possible.
Have a great Christmas!
D
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